Turnovers too much for Kats at state
They played hard, but in the end, turnovers doomed the Columbia Falls girls basketball team at the Class A state tournament.
The Wildkats opened the tourney against Billings Central on Feb. 28. Down 17-5 in the first quarter after they turned the ball over 12 times, the Kats roared back with 26 points in the second quarter to take a 31-23 lead at the half.
But the Rams turned on the jets in the second half while the Kats continued to make mistakes, ending the game with 33 turnovers.
Junior Haley Belgarde, who scored 19 in the loss, also ran into foul trouble in the second half against Billings Central. Winter Kemppainen had a solid game as well, with 14 rebounds and eight points.
In loser-out action the next day, the Kats played Butte Central down to the wire. The game was tied with 25 second left when Ciera Finberg was fouled, but she missed both free throws. With 18 seconds left, the Lady Maroons scored to go up 39-37. The Kats got the ball back with about four seconds left, but Butte Central stole the ball and the game ended. The girls shot just 29 percent from the field against the Lady Maroons and were just 7 for 17 from the line. Butte Central shot just 25 percent. The Kats also had too many turnovers — 29. Kemppainen had a nice game with seven points and 18 rebounds.
“You’re not going to be able to turn the ball over more than 60 times in two games and win,” coach Cary Finberg said.
Still, it was a successful season for the young team, which ended the year 17-6 and will return most of its starting lineup, save for Burlage.
“Our younger kids got some valuable experience,” Finberg said. “Winter and Haley rebound-wise had a great couple of games, and Ciera and Ellie (Johnson)did a good job on the point. It was a plus for us.”
Laurel went on to win the tournament, dropping Billings Central, 33-31.
Billings Central 17 6 19 19 — 61
Columbia Falls 5 26 9 9 — 49
BILLINGS CENTRAL (15-7) — Allie Lucas 7 11-13 25, Sammy Elliott 4 2-3 10, Erika Kuehn 2 2-2 6, Justyn Juhl 5 2-4 12, Melissa Koerber 1 0-0 2, Mariah Wittman 1 2-6 4, Baylee Hadley 1 0-0 2, Skylar Rockwell 0 0-0 0, Sarina Aamold 0 0-0 0, Morgan Lucas 0 0-0 0, Allison Walter 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 21 19-28 61.
COLUMBIA FALLS (17-5) — Haley Belgarde 7 5-7 19, Hope Burlage 1 4-7 6, Winter Kemppainen 4 0-2 8, Ciera Finberg 0 0-2 0, Tori Price 0 2-2 2, Andrea Getts 4 0-0 8, Shannon Hay 3 0-0 6, Ellie Johnson 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 19 11-20 49.
3-point field goals: Central 0, C-Falls 0; Rebounds: Central 28 (Juhl 7), C-Falls 37 (Kemppainen 14); Assists: Central 9 (Lucas 7), C-Falls 3 (Price 2); Blocks: Central 2 (Juhl 2), C-Falls 2 (two players with 1); Steals: Central 17 (Lucas 9), C-Falls 5 (Kemppainen 2); Total Fouls: Central 14, C-Falls 19; Fouled Out: Burlage; Turnovers: Central 15, C-Falls 33.
Butte Central 7 15 10 7 — 39
Columbia Falls 9 11 7 10 — 37
BUTTE CENTRAL (17-5) — Hannah Stojcar 2 0-2 5, Mariah Cooney 3 2-2 8, Alysea Pica 4 7-13 15, Annie Ossello 0 0-0 0, Danika Neumann 3 2-2 9, Chandra McCurdy 0 0-0 0, Teressa Piazzola 0 0-0 0, Shawnee Hjelt 0 0-0 0, Aleesha LaBreche 1 0-0 2. TOTALS: 1311-19 39.
COLUMBIA FALLS (17-6) — Haley Belgarde 4 1-3 9, Hope Burlage 1 0-2 3, Winter Kemppainen 3 1-3 7, Ciera Finberg 1 4-6 7, Tori Price 0 0-0 0, Shannon Hay 0 1-2 1, Ellie Johnson 1 0-0 2, Andrea Getts 4 0-1 8. TOTALS: 14 7-17 37
3-point field goals: Central 2-15 (Stajcar 1-6, Neumann 1-7), C-Falls 2-7 (Finberg 1-3, Burlage 1-3); Rebounds: Central 34 (Cooney 12), C-Falls 51 (Kemppainen 18); Assists: Central 7 (Stajcar 2, Neumann 2, Cooney 2), C-Falls 6 (Finberg 2, Burlage 2); Blocks: Central 2 (Cooney 2), C-Falls 5 (Belgarde 3); Steals: Central 14 (Neumann 5, Stajcar 5), C-Falls 8 (Kemppainen 4); Total Fouls: Central 18, C-Falls 17; Fouled Out: Cooney; Turnovers: Central 16, C-Falls 29.